2025 — A Year of Farewells and Firsts

There are years that pass quietly, and then there are years that change everything.
2025 was the latter for me.

It was a year of closing one chapter that had shaped me for most of my life, while slowly, carefully opening another. A year of endings and beginnings, of learning to let go, and of finding the courage to step forward into something new — not all at once, but with intention.

After seventeen years as a professional ballet dancer, 2025 became the year I finally stepped off the stage and into the work I had been quietly building alongside it.

Saying Goodbye to the Stage

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo after my last show in Valencia

On the 29th of July 2025, I took my final bow in Valencia, surrounded by my friends and family. It was an emotional farewell — not just to a role, or a company, but to a life that had defined me since I was a child.

Ballet gave me discipline, sensitivity, resilience, and an eye for detail that still informs everything I create today. Leaving it behind felt both liberating and daunting. It was the only world I had truly known for seventeen years, and walking away from something so familiar naturally came with doubt. Would I miss it? Would I regret it? Would I be brave enough to start again?

What surprised me most was how calm I felt. Rather than fear, there was a quiet certainty that it was time. I allowed myself to savour every last moment on stage — every rehearsal, every performance, every curtain call — knowing I was closing this chapter with gratitude, not regret.

Building Something New, One Step at a Time

Alongside this farewell, 2025 was also the year my bridal business truly began to take shape.

In April, I launched my first collection of wedding veils — a project that pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. Designing the pieces was only one part of it; suddenly I was learning how to build a webshop, navigate Instagram marketing, and understand an entirely new side of running a business. It was challenging, often overwhelming, and deeply rewarding.

Jennifer wearing her custom wedding cape

This year also brought several meaningful firsts: among them, creating my very first wedding cape for my bride Jennifer — a piece that felt like a natural extension of my love for movement, softness, and drama.

Slowly, project by project, I began to trust myself more. I am still letting go of my identity as a dancer, but with each completed piece, each client interaction, and each creative decision, I feel more confident claiming a new title: fashion and costume designer.

An Unexpected Dream Come True

Ida Stempelmann in Aether photo by Kiran West

Just when I thought the year had already given me enough change, September brought an opportunity I never could have planned.

My ex-colleague Aleix Martinez from my dancing years reached out with a proposal that felt almost unreal: to design ballet costumes for a new production premiering on December 7th. The production, Aether, marked my debut as a costume designer for a full ballet — a true dream come true, and one that felt beautifully full-circle.

The Hamburg Ballet in Aether photo by Kiran West

Returning to the ballet world in this new role, after having said goodbye to the stage, was both unexpected and deeply meaningful. It reminded me that while chapters may end, the skills, relationships, and passions we carry with us continue to evolve.

Looking Ahead

As I step into 2026, I do so with equal parts excitement and nerves.

I am deeply grateful for the brides I already have the privilege of working with, and I hope to welcome a few more along the way. I’m excited to continue expanding my veil offerings — exploring lace-trimmed designs and new techniques — and to keep refining my embroidery practice.

This year, I’ll also be returning to Paris to study embroidery at École Lesage, an opportunity I’m incredibly grateful for. Continuing my education feels like a natural next step, allowing me to deepen my craftsmanship and bring an even richer level of detail, technique, and artistry to the pieces I create for my brides.

Photo by Michael Lasanta

There are a few promising projects on the horizon that I can’t quite share yet, and of course, there are still worries. Building a new career, learning how to sustain it, and trusting that this path will support a life — these thoughts are never far away. I dream of finding a studio space of my own, a place where creativity doesn’t spill quite so dramatically into the living room (even if my husband is endlessly patient).

But more than anything, I feel grounded. 2025 taught me that change doesn’t have to be rushed, and that it’s possible to leave one life with love while stepping into another with hope.

A Note for Future Brides

If you’re a bride who values craftsmanship, intention, and pieces made slowly and thoughtfully, I would love to hear from you. Whether it’s a custom veil, a couture dress, or something entirely your own, each piece I create begins with a conversation — and a shared vision.

You can explore my work or get in touch via the contact page. I look forward to creating something meaningful together.